A/N: Uh Oh... Melinda has lost something... what is it? Enjoy! xx Mariah

Ages:

Delia - 36
Jim - 36
Melinda - 32
Katie - 6
Aaron - 2

Melinda was freaking out.

She ran into her bedroom and grabbed her phone, holding it between her ear and shoulder. Her jewelry box wasn't that big, it's unlikely that she simply overlooked it, but what else could she do besides panic a little more when it wasn't there?

"Delia, it isn't in there. I'm telling you!" She groaned once she heard her answer. "It's been three days, and I don't think I can tell Jim I left it in the dish by the sink again."

"Melinda, just relax," Delia said softly, trying to be reassuring. "Look again just to be sure."

"I put it in one of the ring slots before I showered on Tuesday and now it's gone," she said, pulling open all five drawers of the jewelry box and beginning to sift through the various pieces. "It's not in the drawers, either."

"Why'd you take your wedding ring off in the first place?" Delia asked.

"I took it off when I got into the bath last night because sometimes it slips off when my hands are wet, and I forgot to put it on," she explained, pacing the length of her bedroom. "Delia, how am I going to explain this to Jim?"

"Don't tell him just yet," her friend said on the other line. "Act like you still forgot to put it back on or something so you have more time to look for it. I bet it's somewhere. Did you check on the floor?"

"How did I lose my wedding ring?" She cried, getting on the floor and looking under her vanity desk. She could hear Delia sighing. "Jim is going to kill me."

"Isn't it bad luck to take the ring off anyway?" Delia asked.

"It's only bad luck if someone else puts the ring on. Come on, you should know that." Melinda chuckled, trying to make light of the situation even though she didn't see it. She looked under the bed and sighed when she didn't see it there either. "Where else could it be? It's not on the floor." And that's when she remembered that Katie had asked to wear it once before, when she'd seen her take it off to clean it. "Delia, I'll call you later if I find it."

She didn't want to call out for her and risk waking Jim.

He hardly slept last night because he kept getting called into the hospital for trauma cases. She set her phone on the vanity and tiptoed out of the master and down the hallway to find her daughter sitting on her bedroom floor playing with her dolls.

"Hey, baby girl," she whispered, placing her finger to her lips so she knew her daddy was sleeping. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Mmhmm!" Katie squeaked, setting her doll down and walking over to her, hugging her. "What's up mommy?"

She brought her over to her bed and sat down with her. "Do you remember the other day when you were in mommy and daddy's room playing with your dolls, and you watched mommy clean her very pretty ring?"

"Kinda," Katie giggled, smiling. "You mean the special ring that daddy got you?"

"It was a few weeks ago, I know," she said, trying to jog her memory. "But try and remember, baby... Daddy and I will be really sad if I can't find it."

Katie crinkled her little nose and looked up to the ceiling, bringing a tiny finger to her chin for added effect. "I don't think so," she said. "But I liked that ring. Want me to help you find it?"

Melinda couldn't hide her disappointment. If she had told Katie they could have ice cream after lunch sometime, her daughter would remember that promise for weeks and remind her every day. She guessed the six-year-old's memory was only strong enough when promises of treats and toys were involved.

"Thank you, Katie," she sighed, standing up from the bed. "Let me know if you see it."

How was she going to tell Jim?

He had saved to get her new ring for years, and it was a present for their tenth wedding anniversary last year. Even after Melinda had told him time and time again that she didn't need an expensive ring and that she loved the one he bought her back when they first got engaged.

However, he refused to get her anything but the one he continually described as the perfect ring for his wife. It was designed with diamonds and amethyst gemstones. Even a unique butterfly side design artistically set into white gold. She'd never seen anything like it and now she couldn't find it.

She couldn't tell Jim. At least not yet. She needed to buy herself some time, and Aaron was up from his nap.

Melinda came into the bedroom at nine-forty, tired and annoyed with how the day had gone. While Aaron had gone to bed with ease, Katie hadn't been the same. Her daughter usually wasn't one to throw temper tantrums, but tonight she had when it came the time to go to bed.

Katie had thrown all of her books off her shelves and had kicked and yelled until she finally gave up and made Jim put her into bed, where their daughter then proceeded to toss around until she fell asleep.

"She has never been this difficult to put to bed, Jim," she muttered when her husband finally came into bed next to her. It was a little after ten when Katie had finally passed out. "My back still aches from all the kicking."

"They always say that your firstborn is different from the rest," Jim reassured her with a kiss on her shoulder. "She will be feeling better in the morning. If not, I'll deal with her."

"Well, whoever they are, they weren't kidding." She sighed, leaning into him.

Her husband was so warm, so steady. She could use some of him right now, a little selfish time. Melinda let out a breath and settled into bed. Until she remembered that it had been three days and she still hadn't told him about losing the ring. But she made a promise to herself to tell him tonight before the guilt buried her alive.

"Jim.." She whispered, turning to face him. "I have something to tell you."

His face immediately went from relaxed to concerned and she closed her eyes to avoid his burning stare. She couldn't see how disappointed he would be. Her eyes being closed was all she could do to keep herself from chickening out and making something up about the store or ghosts.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly, he chuckled then. "Melinda, just tell me. What's wrong?"

She could feel him scoot over and his arms wrapping around her, but she couldn't bring herself to open her eyes to look at him. "I think... I lost my wedding ring." She whispered, barely even audible.

There was a moment of silence as Melinda opened her eyes, seeing her husband looking at her. He smiled when she finally met his gaze, winking at her.

"Hey," Jim finally said before he held out something.

It was her ring! It shined in the candlelight and she smiled at him, tears springing from her eyes. She'd thought she would never see it again.

"Jim!" She cried out, attempting to grab it from him. He pulled it away, leaving her grasping at the air. She furrowed her brow. "Where did you find it? I looked for days and hadn't even told you!"

He laughed, kissing her hand before placing it back on her leg. "I got it given to me by Katie this afternoon. She was too scared to give it to you, I think. She said her doll stole it and she had to deal with a thief in lockup. I think it was the unicorn." He explained.

"Ahh," she scoffed, rolling her eyes at her daughter's antics. She was such a snot lately. "The old doll trick. My mom told me that I used to do that too."

"Yeah, I bet you did," he nodded, laughing again as he kissed her cheek. "Looks like it's just a little bit of payback. Glad to hear you're talking to your mom still."

"The tantrums made me call," she whispered. "I told her not to play with that ring, Jim." She muttered, looking at him sympathetically. "I felt like the worst person in the world for losing it… and you worked so hard to get it for me, so I should've never taken it off."

"Well, baby, Katie isn't always going to listen to us. She's just having one of her moments right now, but we'll get through it." He said, holding it out to her. She took it carefully and slid it back on. He smiled and kissed her cheek as he sat up, rubbing her sides. "I told her I'd take it and hold onto it until you could wear it again."

"She didn't tell me any of this when I asked her this morning," she whispered and rolled her eyes.

"I didn't think she would. She was really scared that you'd be angry with her for not giving it back and having it for the last few days when you had asked her," he explained, touching the ring on her finger.

She nodded, smiling at him. Her tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she kissed him. "I think I'll never take it off again."

"Well I hope so," he smiled softly.

"But when I'm pregnant again, I'll just wear it on a chain when my fingers swell." She promised.

"Pregnant again?" He grinned wider, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I think we can handle a few more, don't you?" She asked. "Two just isn't enough…"

He said nothing for a long while, thinking about how tough it was in the beginning with his long hours at the hospital. Then they had Aaron and everything changed. It was different now. A little better than it used to be, but the number of tantrums Katie had these days was astonishing. She could be an angel and devil on the same day, but despite the sleep deprivation and difficulties of juggling a Kindergartener and a toddler, he shrugged, kissing her cheek.

"Yeah," he agreed, kissing her neck next. "I think we could probably handle two more. Should we try for one now?"

"Well, I definitely think you deserve brownie points for finding this without even knowing it had gone missing..." she whispered softly, pulling his chin up and meeting his mouth with a fiery kiss.

She loved him. She loved him. She loved him.